Timer mechanism



M. knobs TIMER mum; Filed Dec, 24, 1938 June 10, 1941.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENIDR. MfiET/N E. RHODE BY June 10,1941. EiRHODE 2,244,803

TIMER MECHANI SM Filed Dec. '24; 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet; 2 r

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i 7 i 34 -/0 i i i 8 9 g u M g Q A 5 H i INVENTOR. Mm? T/N f. RHODE TTORNEY Patented June 10, 1941 TIMER MECHANISM Martin E. Bhode, Euclid, Ohio, assignor to The Apex Electrical Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application December 24, 1938, Serial No. 247,576

Claims.

This invention relates to washing machines and more particularly to an improved timer mechanism for a washing machine wherein the duration of the washing action is automatically controlled.

Numerous expedients have been proposed for automatically discontinuing the washing action in a domestic washing machine after the clothes have been washed for a predetermined period of time. Recent developments in the washing machine art have resulted in the general adoption for domestic use of a washing machine having a mechanism beneath the tub to oscillate an agitator arranged to ,project upwardly within the tub. Said mechanism is usually provided with a portion projecting beyond the outline of the tub and carries thereat an upwardly-extending, wringer-driving shaft. Among the automatic timer mechanisms heretofore provided for such type of washing machine are found timer mechanisms which are connected to the power unit so that the timer mechanism not only stops the agitator drive but also stops the wringer-driving shaft. The disadvantage of such an arrangement grows out of the fact that the wringer may be in use at the time the timer mechanism operates to stop the power unit; The stopping of the wringer leaves the washing machine powerunit heavily loaded when an attempt is made to restart the same. In the event that the wringer is loaded with heavy articles and the washing machine tub is also heavily loaded with clothes and water, the combined load may exceed the starting capacity of the electric motor or other power unit designed to run the machine. This condition necessitates a wringer drive disengagement or a complete release of the wringer roll pressure and a manual removal of the clothes befor the driving mechanism can again be placed in operation. Theuse of such a timer would also be ob- .iectionable in connection with a combined washer and centrifugal extractor where it would necessitate the use of the timer and the operation of the washer during the use of the extractor,

Other timer mechanisms which are intended to stop only the agitator operation have been proposed. The latter have involved such complicated and costly reconstruction of the washing machine drive mechanism that they have not enjoyed wide commercial success.

It is among the objects of my invention to provide a washing machine timing device which will automatically stop the oscillation of the agitator after a predetermined period oil-time, without interrupting the operation of the wringer or t'm extractor driving mechanism.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a timer mechanism according to the preceding object which may be applied to a conventional washing machine driving mechanism and wherein its application to such driving mechanism will not involve a reconstruction or modification of the driving mechanism itself.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an automatic timer mechanismin accordance with the preceding objects which is positively driven by the agitator shaft, exteriorly of the gear case housing the washing machine driving mechanism.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a timer mechanism in accordance with the preceding object wherein the timer mechanism establishes an operative connection between the agitator shaft and the clutch control for the agitator driving mechanism.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a timer mechanism in accordance with the two preceding objects wherein each oscillation of the agitator shaft positively advances a member operativelyconnected to a clutch for the agitator drive.

Further objects and advantages relating to manufacture will appear from the following de/-.

scription and the appended drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view, with parts broken away, of a washing machine provided with a timer mechanism constructed according to my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged showing, with parts in section, of the timer driving assembly;

Figur 4 is an enlarged plan view. with parts broken away, showing the clutch control moved to an off position in response to timer action;

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view, with parts broken away, showing the timer driving assembly;. and

Figure 6 is an elevation of the timer control knob.

I have attained the objects generally described above and avoided the disadvantages associated with the prior art constructions by arranging my timer mechanism between the agitator shaft and the clutch control for the agitator shaft so that upon each oscillation of the agitator, a clutchoperating member will be'prcgressively advanced toward a position where it effects disengagement by means of depending bolts I4, and a portion of the gear case as at I5 is designed to extend beyond the outline of the circular frame I 2 to support the upwardly-extending wringer shaft (not shown) which is intended .to drive the wringer (not shown).

The washing machine driving mechanism includes a clutch control shaft |6 which projects upwardly through the top of the gear case. It will be understood as this description proceeds that any suitable clutch and driving mechanism may be employed such as for instance that disclosed in the United States patent to W. A. Frantz et al. No. 2,046,258, and that my timer mechanism is suited to perform the functions for which it is designed without regard to the specific mechanism employed to drive the agitator and wringer.

The clutch control shaft I6 is normally moved to its operative and inoperative positions by means of a rod I! having a handle l8 at the outside of the frame It anda depending end portion l9 extending into an aperture 20 formed in the clutch control plate 2|. It willbe observed that a rocking of the handle portion |8 will rotate the rod in bearing bracket 22 upon its longitudinal axis and that the depending inner end I!) will swing through an are so as to carry the plate 2| and the shaft l6 into on and off positions. When the clutch shaft I6 is turned to its on position (Fig. 1), the agitator shaft 24 will be placed in driven connection with the electric motor 25. As will be better understood by reference to said Walter A. Frantz application, the motor 25 is arranged .to rotate the pulley 26 and through suitable gearing efiect an oscillation of the agitator shaft 24. It will also be understood by reference to said application that so long as the pulley 26 is rotated by the motor, the reduction gearing leading to the wringer drive shaft will continue to rotate and that the operation of the agitator may be interrupted without affecting the continued rotation of the wringer.

To drive the timer-mechanism in a positive manner, the agitator shaft 24 is provided with an eccentric or cam member 29 in that portion of the shaft immediately beneath the cross brace 3. The timer mechanism is provided with a reciprocating slide element 3| having a tappet portion 32 arranged to bear against the outer periphery of the cam .29. The member 3| is preferably mounted to slide through apertures 33 formed in the spaced, parallel, upturned ears 34 and is normally urged toward the cam 29 by means of the spring 35 interposed between the lug 35 on the slide and one of the upturned ears 34. The end of the slide 3| remote from the cam 29 is pivoted as at 31 to a driving pawl 38.

The driving pawl 38 is in turn pivoted as at 39' to a radius member 40 and is provided as at 4| with a sharp edge adapted to engage the serrated periphery of the disk'43.

It will be observed by reference to Figures 1 and 5 that as the high point of the cam 29 bears against the slide, the slide will move axially in opposition to the spring 35 and rock the pawl 38 upon its pivot 39. The initial rocking of the pawl 38 is efiective to engage the portion 4| with the serrated periphery of the disk 43 and continued movement of the slide 3| is effective to rotate the disk 43 upon its pivot 45. The degrees of rotation in the disk 43 effected by the pawl may be varied within relatively wide limits depending upon the gear ratios employed in the timer and other variable factors. In the embodiment shown, the disk 43 is turned about 5.75 degrees in response to each oscillation of the slide 3| and Ihave found this to be a satisfactory arrangement in connection with the gear ratios and lever propor ions shown.

To insure that the disk 43 will not be carried back in a reverse direction as the slide 3| moves toward the agitator shaft on its return stroke, 1 have provided a spring-pressed pawl 41, which is pivotally mounted as at 48 on the plate'l. The pawl 41 is provided with. a spring 410, and a sharp edge portion 49 adapted to engage the serrations in the disk 43 and effectively prevent any reverse movement of the disk.

Suitable gear reduction is obtained through-a,

small pinion 50 fixed to the upper surface of the disk 43 adapted to drive a gear 5| pivotally mounted as at 52 on the plate I. The gear 5| carries-on its upper surface a pair of spaced pins 53 and 54 which limit the are through which a loosely-pivoted dog 56 may swing.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be observed that each successive oscillation of the agitator will cause a progression of the disk 43 in the direction of the arrow Aand that thi progression is in turn effective to rotate the gear 5| in the direction of the arrow B, so that the pin 54 will bear against the dog 56 and carry the dog into engagement with a rocking lever 58. The rocking lever is preferably pivotally mounted as at 59 on the supporting plate and is normally urged by the spring 60 in the direction of the arrow C. The end of the rocking lever 58 is notched as at 62 to receive the upturned end 63a of a plate 63 pivotally carried by the clutch control shaft i5.

A spring 65 which may be anchored as at 55 to the brace l3 normally pulls the plate 63 in a counter-clockwise direction with respect to the clutch control shaft I6 and an upturned end 87? on the plate 2| is arranged to bear against the plate 63 so as to be similarly-carried in a counterclockwise direction. Any movement of the plate 53 and the attendant movement of the plate 25, in response to the spring 65 is restrained by the rocking lever 58 as long as the rocking lever is in the position shown in Figure i. It will be observed, however, that as soon as the dog 55 has advanced a few degrees in the direction of the arrow B that the rocking lever will be moved to a position such as shown in Figure 4 and release the plate 63. When the last-mentioned action has taken place, the spring 65 becomes effective to carry the plate 2| in a counter-clockwise direction and thus place the agitator clutch control in an off position. The washing machine agitator drive controls will remain in said off position until manually restored to on position by rocking the rod Such manual rocking will turn the plates 2| and 63 in a clockwise direction and will force the upturned end portion 63a of the plate 53 over the cam face to a position against the pin 53 in response to the spring 56a. The last-named position of the pivoted dog becomes effective as soon as the dog has thrown the clutch control parts to an off" position as heretofore described.

In the off position of the rocking lever 58, it will be observed by reference to Figure 4 that the end of the lever adjacent plate 83 bears against the portion 83a so as to limit the swing of the rocking lever. After a manual movement of rod H to the on position, the oscillation of the agitator advances the dog 56 in a clockwise direction about its pivoted axis until it again trips the rocking lever 58. The engagement between the end of the lever 58 and the portion 53a which is received in the notch 62 maintains the other end of the lever in the path of the dog 56 upon the next revolution of the dog 55 and its carrying plate 1 In the embodiment shown, the parts are proportioned so that one complete revolution of the dog 55 and its carrying plate 5! will occupy a period of minutes. Since it is frequently desired to automatically operate the washing machine for a period less than fifteen minutes, I have provided a reset or control device indicated at the exteriorof the tub by the handle 15. A

shaft 11 secured to the handle or knob I5 projects through the frame [2 of the tub, is pivotally supported at its inner end on a bracket 15, and has fixed thereto at its inner end a gear 18 having teeth arranged to project through apertures 19 formed in the gear 5|. The tub frame I; is provided with an arrow B or other suitable indicia as shown in Figure 6 and the knob 15 bears the time indicla marked off in equal segments.

By means of the manual reset or control just described, the gear 5| and the dog 55 carried thereby may be advanced in a clockwise direction any predetermined amount. This advance is permitted by reason of the driving and holding pawl arrangement 38-". The handle l8 may be turned to 'place the clutch control parts in an on position after any predetermined advance of the dog 56 and the remaining period of time as measured, on the gear 5| will determine the washing period.

In the event that it is desired to operate the washing machine in the usual manner, through the manual control I8, without utilizing the automatic timer mechanism, the neutral control 88 may be pulled outwardly and held in its outward position in keyhole slot 8| by reason of the engagement of knobs 82 carried on the neutral control rod 83. The inner end of the control machine, it will'be understood that my invention may be suited to the automatic control of other machines and that although the mechanism is described in considerable detail, numerous modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A timer for controlling the period of operation of an oscillating shaft comprising a gear case-for supporting said shaft and timer, a clutchcontrol shaft projecting through said gear case, an eccentric on said oscillating shaft, a pair of operatively connected-rotatable timer elements, a pawl and ratchet operatively connected to said eccentric and to said rotatable timer elements, to progressively advance said elements upon each oscillation of said eccentric and oscillating shaft, said pawl and ratchet and rotatable timer elements constructed and arranged to rotate one of said timer elements more slowly than the other, means operatively connected to said clutchcontrol shaft and to the slow moving timer element whereby said clutch control shaft is moved by said means in response to a pre-determined number of oscillations of said eccentric.

2. A timer for controlling the period of operation of a driven shaft comprising a gear case for supporting said shaft and timer, a clutch control projecting from said gear case to interrupt the drive to said driven shaft, an eccentric on said shaft, said pawl and rotatable timer elements constructed and arranged to rotate one of said rod, it will be observed by reference to Figure 3,

described arrangement presents certain advantages where it is desired to operate the washing machine agitator for a long period of time or where the operator desires to control the wash ing period manually, without the benefitof the automatic control,

Although I have described and shown my timer mechanism in the environment of a washing timer elements more slowly than the other, means operatively connected to said clutch control and to the slow moving timer element, whereby said clutch control is moved by said means in response to a predetermined number of rotational movements of said eccentric.

3. A timer for controlling the period of operation of an oscillating driven shaft, comprising a gear case for supporting said shaft and timer, a

clutch control projecting from said gear case operative to interrupt the drive to said driven shaft, an eccentric on said driven shaft, a pair of rotatable timer elements, a pawl operatively connected to said eccentric and to said timer elements to progressively advance said elements upon movement of said eccentric and driven shaft, said pawl and rotatable timer elements constructed and arranged to rotate one of said timer elements more slowly than the other, a cam connected to the slow-moving timer element, means operatively connected at one end to said clutch control and engaging said cam at the other end whereby said clutch control ismoved by said cam and means in response to a predetermined number of movements of said eccentrio.

4. A timer for controlling the period of operation of a washing machine agitator comprising a gear case for supporting a driven shaft projecting therefrom andtimer, a clutch control projecting from said gear case and adapted to be moved so as to interrupt the drive to the agitator, an eccentric on said driven shaft exteriorly of the gear case, a pair of operatively connected rotatable timer elements, an oscillating member having one end thereof engaged and moved by said eccentric, a pawl operatively connected to moving element through its cycle and thereby,

control the period of operation of the agitator.

5. A timer for controlling the period of operation of a driven shaft comprising a gear case for supporting said shaft and timer, a clutch control on said gear case adapted to be moved to operative and inoperative positions so as to establish or interrupt the drive to said driven shaft, an eccentric on said driven shaft, 9. pair of rotatable timer elements, a pivoted pawl connected to said timer elements and to said eccentric whereby said elements are progressively advanced in response to movement of said eccentric, said pawl and rotatable timer elements constructed and arranged to rotate one of said timer elements vmore slowly than the other, a cam carried by and rotated with the slow-moving timer element, means operatively connected at one end to said clutch control and to said cam to move said clutch control in response to cam movement and manually-operated means connected to said slowmoving timer element whereby said slow-moving timer element and said cam may be advanced through their cycle of operation-and the period of operation controlled by the timer varied.

MARTIN E. RHODE. 

